Gifts for New Parents, Not the Baby

We make cards, pin badges and prints in the UK. We don't sell prams, sleepsuits or silver spoons, so this is a plain guide with the card at the end.

In the first six weeks the baby gets forty presents and the parents get a cold cup of tea.

These are the gifts that fix that, most of which cost very little.

Finish it with a card

A card addressed to the parents, not the baby.

'Rock On' hand gesture good luck card, ideal for a new job or congratulations. "Rock On" Good Luck Card £3.87 Illustration of two large pints of stout next to a tiny baby stout with text "Two's a couple, three's a family". Two's A Couple, Three's A Family (Guinness Congrats On The New Baby Card) £3.87 Congrats on Moooving Home (New Home Card) Congrats on Moooving Home (New Home Card) £3.87 Cheers M'dears Congratulations Card Cheers M'dears Congratulations Card £3.75 Only The Best Dads Get Promoted To Grandad (Friends Themed Cards) Only The Best Dads Get Promoted To Grandad (Friends Themed Cards) £3.87 Future Dad Fuel (Dad To Be New Baby Card) Future Dad Fuel (Dad To Be New Baby Card) £3.87

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Food and drink

  • A home-cooked meal in a dish you don't need back, left on the doorstep.
  • A freezer stack of portions labelled with what they are and how long to heat them.
  • Snacks that can be eaten one-handed at 3am: flapjacks, nuts, cereal bars, chocolate.
  • A good coffee delivery or a fortnight of proper tea.

Sleep and sanity

  • An hour of babysitting so they can nap - specific offer, specific time, not "let me know".
  • A cleaner for two visits, booked and paid for.
  • A voucher for a haircut, with the offer to hold the baby while they go.
  • A subscription to something they can watch at 4am with one hand.

For the partner too

  • Dads and non-birthing partners get almost nothing. A card addressed to them lands hard.
  • Something small and personal: a pin badge, a print, a decent bottle for when they're ready.
  • A message saying you've noticed they're doing a lot. Free, and rare.
  • An invitation out, six weeks in, even if they say no.

How to give it

  • Text on the way, not the doorbell. A sleeping baby is a sacred thing.
  • Say "I'm dropping food at six, you don't need to see me" and mean it.
  • Don't ask what they need - they can't think. Pick something and do it.
  • Check in again at three months, when everyone else has stopped.

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How to write it so it lands

  • Text, don't ring the doorbell.
  • Don't ask - just do one thing.
  • Check in again at three months.

Where to shop next

Frequently asked questions

What do you get new parents instead of baby gifts?

Food, an hour of childcare, a cleaner, snacks, coffee and a card addressed to them. Practical help beats objects in the first six weeks.

What do you get a new dad?

Something small and personal plus a card addressed to him. Partners are routinely overlooked and notice when they're not.

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